Tone regulator for phonographs



May-8, 1923. 1,454,441 H. K. HEss TONE REGULATOR FOR PHONOGRAPHS FiledA001:. 18 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l mI/ENToR. A

ATTORNEYS,

May N8, 1923.

H. K. HESS TONE REGULATOR FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Oct. 18 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I AVEA'TOR.

/A TT ORNE YS Patented May 8, 1923.

UNITED STATES HENRY K. HESS, F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

TONE REGULATOR FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

Application filed October 18, 1921.

To all fte/0m it may concern:

Be it known that I. HENRY K. Hass, a citizen et' the United States, anda resident or' Syracuse, in the county of (.)nondaga and State ot NewYork. have invented a certain new and useful Tone Begulatoi-orPhonographs, of which the following 1s a specification.

rlhis invention relates to phonographs, and has for its object a tonemodiier or regulator which is actuated by the motor of the machine, andwhich may, it desired, be disconnected 'from the motor and set in anydesired fixed position.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view oit' a phonograph embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the regulator and contiguous parts.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the connectionsbetween the regulator and the motor and also of the means for connectingand disconnecting the regulator from the motor.

I have here shown my invention as embodied in the conventional cabinets.type ot phonograph.

1 designates the cabinet having the usual horizontal wall or partit-ion2.

3 is a record support which is here shown as a turntable.

l is the motor suitably supported in the cabinet below the wall 2. 5 isthe motor shaft extending upwardly through the wall 2 and on the upperend oi which the record support, the turntable 3 is mounted.

6 is a tone arm. 7 is the reproducer and 8 the sound conduit which is inregistra-- tion with the tone arm. 9 is the ampliiier.

The tone modifier or regulating means comprises a member movabletransversely through the sound conduit and having a full portion to cutolf the sound conduit, and an opening arranged to be brought duringmovement of the said member into and out of registration with thepassage of the sound conduit 8. and connections between said member andthe motor or the shaft 5 thereof, and also means for connecting anddisconnectingv such connections from the Serial No. 508,430.

shaft 5. The cut-ott or regulator member as here illustrated, is arotatable disk 10 mounted on an aXle 11 journaled in a suitable bearing12 located outside of the sound conduit 8.v

rlhe portion of the disk 10 on one side of the axis extends transverselythrough the sound conduit 8 and is formed with an opening as anarc-shaped slot 13, arranged to be brought successively into and out otregistration with the passage or' the sound conduit 8 during rotationoi. the disk 10, the sound. conduit being formed with a slot 1li topermit the passage et the disk.

The means Jfor actuating the disk 10 in the illustrated form of myinvention comprises a gear l5 mounted on the motor shaft 5 and meshingwith the toothed periphery of the disk 10. The gear 15 is normallydisconnected from the shaft 5 and is connectible thereto to rotatetherewith by a shiitable clutch section 16 mounted on the shaft andhaving a clutch face 17 coacting with the clutch face 18 on the opposingtace oiti the gear 15. The gear 1.5'is here shown as supported by abracket 19 secured to the lower side o'f the wall 2 and having inturnedflanges 20 extending into an annular groove 21 on the hub ot the gear15.

The clutch section 16 is keyed'to the shaft 5 in any suitable manner asby a piu 22 extending transversely through a slot 23 in the shaft 5.Said clutch section is shiftable by operating means preferably extendingto the outside.

This operating means includes a rod 24@ extending to the outside of thecabinet 1 and having a handle 25 at its outer end and. being` connectedat its inner end to one arm of a shitting lever as a bell crank .26, theother arm ot which is provided with a tork working in an annular groove27 in the clutch section 16.

The clutchsection is held in its otl and on positions by means of aspring pressed poppet 28 coaeting with sockets 29 in the periphery ofthe shaft 5.

The disk 10 is provided with indicators as the words closed "l openwhich come into registration with a sight opening in the wall andindicate the position of the slot 13 of the disk relatively to thepassage of the sound conduit so that the disk 10 can be temporarily setto fully close, fully open, or partly close the passage of the conduit 8to any degree.

In operation, when the clutch section is shifted to engage the clutchface oi the gear 15, the eut off or regulating member 10 will be rotatedslowly and alternately bring the slot 13 into and out of registrationwith the sound conduit 8, thus gradually increasing the sound as thedisk 10 rotates to fully open the passage 8 and decreasing the sound asthe slot moves out of registration with the passage S and the full partof the disk moves through the sound conduit. This operation breaks themonotony of the music.

The tone regulator member 10 may temporarily be set at any desiredposition either to fully close the sound conduit S or fully or partlyopen it by shifting the clutch 17 into engagement with the clutch of thewheel 15 and permitting the motor to run until the member 10 is in thedesired position relatively to the sound conduit as indicated in thesight opening 30 in the top 2.

IVhat I claim is 1. In aphonograph, the combinationwith a rotatablerecord support, a motor for actuating the support, and a soundy conduit,of a tone regulator coacting with the sound conduit, and connectionsbetween the tone regulator and the motor whereby the tone regulator isactuated by the motor, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a phonograph, the combination with a rotatable record support, amotor for actuating the support, and a sound conduit, of a toneregulator coacting with the sound conduit, connections between the toneregulator and the motor whereby the tone regulator is actuated by themotor, and means for connecting and disconnecting the tone regulator tothe motor, substantially as and for the purpose speciied.

3. In a phonograph, the combination with a cabinet having a horizontalwall, a record support rotatable above said wall, a sound conduitdepending from the wall, a. tone arni mounted above the wall andconnected to the sound conduit, of a tone regulator comprising a diskarranged to pass transversely through the sound conduit below the wall,the disk having an openin arranged to be brought into and out oalineinent with the sound conduit, the disk having indicators on the topside thereof showing the relative position of the opening of the diskand the passage of the conduit, and the wall having a sight opening inline with said indicator, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, inthe county ot Onondaga, and State of New York, this 11th day of October,1921.

HENRY K. HESS.

